Trauma Center: New Blood (Wii)

[Live-Free-Or-Pie]

(I know, game is from 2007)

Found this for cheap and got around to finishing it today. I really liked Second Opinion, so I gave this a try.

The introductory cinema rips blatently from House (stangely, I don't find anything wrong with that).

It was very heavy in the Atlus "slide character art in from the right and deliver text" department. The game dosen't have any FMVs, just text and sliding. Despite that limiting of their story telling toolbox, the characters are expressive enough to seem legit. There are enough changes in scenery and "bouns" art stills that help stitch the story together.

The story manages to juggle and flesh out two protagonists. They make a grand journey from middle of nowhere Alaska to the lower 48. The voice-overs added to the overall expierence. It's one thing for the read speech text from the game's requisite asshole, but to hear his condescending tone gives the story a noticable shot in the ass. The music is unobstrusive and keeps up with the story pace. It went heavier during dramatic points, more upbeat when called for, epic when it needed to be epic. It reminded me of good elevator music at points (and for some reason, I don't find anything wrong with that... yet I think I should).

The series deals with mature themes (UTK/Second Op dealt with euthanisia and bio-terrorisim). New Blood lumps in war, organizaed crime, and for drama's sake, bio-terrorisim. It's never preachy, but there's just enough substance to make you think about the subjects.

The gameplay takes some getting used to. The Vitals system can lead to some pretty bullshit moments (I remeber failing an operation when I was rolling the gauze over the wound and the patient had 1 point left, FFFFUUUCK!). With the 50 or so misisons, the operations somehow manage to keep you tense and sweaty. 

Two neat points that are totaly unique to this game:
- You can nerf the difficulty on the fly if you start to suck (so it's pretty hard to get stuck). 
- There are a few instances where the game shakes it up from the familiar routines in totally unexpected ways (UTK/Second Opp did this with an Atomic Bomb diffusal). New Blood throws you a couple non-person straight-up puzzles and a suprise non-human patient.   

I fucking love it when games shake up your routine (cf. Marble Madness level 5 "Silly"). This game does it, and its such a rare condition that I have touble coming up with games that have sillimar symptoms.

You don't hear too much praise for the Trauma Center franchise. I think that sucks. It's a very well put together game that delivers a refreshingly unique and fun expierence.

This is also a sequel that learns from the mistakes of its predecessors and delievers a more robust expierence than its predecessors. I can't wait to play Trauma Team when the price drops.

Now if only the box art didn't suck so bad...

Okay, imma stop gushing now... anybody else play this?

[Squishy3]

If you liked this I suggest Trauma Team as well, nice take on the genre since it has you doing things other than just surgery, like EMT work, etc.

[Axiroth]

I recently got New Blood myself, though I haven't gotten too far into the game. I do love how some of the missions pull some freaky shit out of their ass. Like the bullet in the heart. I'm thinking, "Wait.... Why isn't it letting me--" *more bullet comes up, decreasing the vitals to almost nothing* "WTF WHY GOD?!!"

I have to say my favorite mission in Second Opinion is the one where you have to at first use a pen light, then a camera flash as your source of light. This game series always finds a way to keep me on my toes, and I can't wait for the next one.

On a meme note:
Gentle MOAR Axi

[CaffeinePowered]

I have actually never played any of the trauma center games, do you think the DS one(s)? are better than the Wii version?

[Luinbariel]

I used to play it with Crystal before class at university. That shit is actually kind of hard sometimes... I don't know HOW MANY TIMES we had to do this one surgery.

[Badgerman of DOOM]

I have actually never played any of the trauma center games, do you think the DS one(s)? are better than the Wii version?

I've played Second Opinion (Wii). My one issue was how often things needed to be EXACT, so it was pretty difficult to do that with the Wiimote. This the one advantage I see DS having- just the size and how you input makes it easier. However, big screen for this shit is pretty amazing.

[Squishy3]

[quote author=Caffeine link=topic=5001.msg174825#msg174825 date=1285152008]
I have actually never played any of the trauma center games, do you think the DS one(s)? are better than the Wii version?

I've played Second Opinion (Wii). My one issue was how often things needed to be EXACT, so it was pretty difficult to do that with the Wiimote. This the one advantage I see DS having- just the size and how you input makes it easier. However, big screen for this shit is pretty amazing.
[/quote]The later missions force you to use two styluses.  :-\

[[SiN] Merc]

I have actually never played any of the trauma center games, do you think the DS one(s)? are better than the Wii version?

I liked the Wii versions much better. Trauma team was nerve wracking when you played the EMT.

That, and playing as Hank always was good for a laugh. Every time you do something perfect, he's all "Rawk solid!"

And I giggle.

[Axiroth]

I tried playing it today. I've been missing out on it for so long. :C

But it's not good to try and play with a dying Wii Mote

[Live-Free-Or-Pie]

I have actually never played any of the trauma center games, do you think the DS one(s)? are better than the Wii version?

Overall, the fact that the Wii verions take place on a larger screen makes it a better experience. You can only do and cram so much definition into a non-pixelsprite based game on the DS touchscreen. Details matter in this game makes, and that makes the Wii versions a better choice overall. 

Trauma Center Under the Knife (DS): Fucking difficult as you reach the end. I scratched my DS screen where you need to extract the "Stabilizer." No voice for the stories... Also, they ditched the artist after this one and it looks much better...

Trauma Center Second Opinion (Wii version of previous game: Same plot/missions as DS version with some neat motion control extras. They realized that the DS version was punishing and pulled back a lot of the "WHAT THE FUCK THIS IS BULLSHIT" failures. You get a little more leeway with the motion controls and I think they hit it just right. Still difficult from a puzzle solving perspective, but more satisfying fails (if that makes sense). The one complaint (and exception to the above rule) I have with the Wii versions is that it's a lot more difficult to draw the slo-mo-star. I failed out so may times trying to get it right.

Trauma Center New Blood (Wii only): Huge improvement, Saw the downsides in Second Opp and raises the bar on the series. Good at dropping an "oh-ho-ho clever! turnabout" in the later stages.

Trauma Center Under the Knife 2 (DS only): playing it, no verdict yet

Trauma Team (Wii only): Haven't played, but I've heard nothing but good things about it.

[Badgerman of DOOM]

[quote author=Caffeine link=topic=5001.msg174825#msg174825 date=1285152008]
I have actually never played any of the trauma center games, do you think the DS one(s)? are better than the Wii version?

The one complaint (and exception to the above rule) I have with the Wii versions is that it's a lot more difficult to draw the slo-mo-star. I failed out so may times trying to get it right.
[/quote]

FUCKING THIS.